Thank you to Atria Books for providing me with an advanced copy of Lisa Jewell's novel, I Found You, in exchange for an honest review.
PLOT- Single mom, Alice Lake, notices a man sitting on the beach in front of her home. He stares off into the ocean, while the rain pours down on him, and he doesn't move for hours. Finally, overcome by a sense of compassion and curiosity, Alice goes to check on him. The man has lost his memory and does not have identification. He only knows that somehow he has a link to this seaside village in the north of England. Alice takes him in and he convinces her to hold off on going to the police, to see if he can recover his memories; memories that seem to point to something sinister.
In a London suburb, Lily, a new bride, is worried when her husband does not return home from work. Lily has recently moved from the Ukraine and she has never met her husband's family. Not only has she never met them, but she does not have their contact information. Could Lily's husband be the man on the beach?
LIKE- Last year I read Jewell's novel, The Girls in the Garden, and it was fabulous. I was thrilled when her latest novel, I Found You, showed up for request on NetGalley. It did not disappoint.
I Found You is filled with unexpected twists. I truly did not anticipate where the story was heading, making it a page-turner. I blazed through it in less than a day, unable to put it down. To this end, I'm not going to discuss any specific plot points or characters, as with this novel, more than most, I think the thrill is in the mystery. I don't want to inadvertently spoil anything for a would-be reader.
In addition to a nail-bitting plot (and intense action sequences), Jewell has memorable characters and a vivid setting. What sticks with me the most is her atmospheric writing and foreboding settings. There is a mansion that is downright creepy. The strong sense of place, coupled with the excitement of the mystery, really grounded me in the story world. I read the last quarter of the novel on my Kindle in a dark room, and I was very relieved to have my husband in bed next to me. I had trouble getting to sleep last night!
DISLIKE- Nothing. After finishing I Found You, I looked up Jewell, and was thrilled to see that she has written many other books. I can't wait to read through her works.
RECOMMEND- YES!!! I enthusiastically recommend both I Found You and The Girls in the Garden. I saw mention of comparisons to Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl, and Paula Hawkin's The Girl on the Train : no slight to either book, I enjoyed them, but I enjoyed both of Jewell's novels even more! She's a masterful storyteller.